Method for treating petroleum



Feb., 3. 1925. 1,525,281

c. P. DUBBS METHOD FOR TREATING PETROLEUM Filed Dec. 29, 1919 Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES Pari-:NTuA oFFIcE.

CARBON P. Deans,

OF'WILMETTE. ILLINOIS, AssIGNon 'ro UNIVERSAL OIL rnonucrs COMPANY, A CORPORATION or SOUTH DAKOTA.

^ METHOD F013 TREATING PETROLEUM.

I f Application led December 29, 1919. Serial No: 347,973.

To all whom IMacy concern.'

Be it known that I, CARBON P. DUBBs, a citizen of the United States, residing in Wilinette,4 county of Cook, and State of.

Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for Treating Petroleum, of which the following is a specification. l v

This application is an improvement on my application filed June 21st, 1919, Numbei' 305793, and for clarity, I herewith recitevthe description of' the apparatus and describe the process as contained in' my above mentioned ,application No. 305793, as Jfollows: v

In the drawings;

.Fig. 1 is a ldiagrammatic side elevation in section of an apparatus, by which my process can be carried out.

Fig.'2 is a top plan view of the Vaporizing chambers and the immediate piping.

Fig. 3 is a top cross sectional' view of that *section of Fig. 1,111 which-the pools of ou are shown.

` Tater is fed to tank-L7 This is a cross section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

In deseribing'the attached drawing, and operation of the process, is drawn from a source (not shown), and is forced into the apparatus `through valve marked K1, through line-K, through the line K2, which section is perforated that extends across th'ebottom of the top pool of' oil in the chamber marked L". The portionl vaporizing as said oil percolates u through this pool ofv oil is ypassed o through vapor line L, through the pressure regulating valve L1, through gooseneckL?, through condensing coil L4 positioned in condensing tank L7, through line L" into tank M,- along with the incondensable gases.

travels out of said 'tank through line Le. The condensate collected intank M is drawn ofi. through line Ml'having positioned thereon pressure regulating valve M2, v'while the incondensable gas is vdrawn off through line Ms through pressure regulating valve- M* and on this tank isaliquid level gauge MG and a pressure gauge M", Tanks M and I! rest on the supports marked a'. i

The level ofthe top pool of oil in the vshown in Figure 1.

through line Lf'and chamber L* is maintained at approximately the point marked J and any surplus iiows through pipe J1 into the l of oil directly thereunder, the level o this pool being maintained at point marked J Any excess travels through line Ja into the bottom of the pool of oil immediately thereunder, the level of each pool being maintained at point J and any excess travelling through the line J2l into. the pool of oil immediatelythereunder and this pool is maintained at a level marked J and any excess travels through line J4, having positioned on it` valve J 5. At the bottom of line J, the

cross sectional area is reduced as shown atl J 6, the larger sized pipe used in J 4 being for ,the purpose of allowing the oil to be, more or less, freed of any 4vapors contained therein, such vapors passing back up through said pipe into the bottom of the chamber L". The remaining liquid passe through line J to pump AA. l

The heating tube B is disclosed as being of a continuous rebent formation, and 'is positioned within the furnace as clearly 'The oil passes from ump AA under pressure through this continuous coil Where it receives its cracking heat, then passing through the transfer line C into one of the alternate chambers or tanks DD.

y The oil'passes from the coil to the tank D which is of a large capacity, and wherein the oil undergoes conversion. The vapors genera'ted from the oil vpass through the vapor lines E into header E1, through valve E2 into line E, which also has a pyrometer marked N. Through the line E4, the valve E5 being opened while the valves ET and E10 are closed, the vapors pass into. the bottom lcompartment of the chamber I). Any pro.-

kportion condensing drains 'into the bottom compartment of chamber L", Aand is automatically returned to the heating tubes. B

of the caps marked G are perforated at the vpoints Y marked H. Thev vapors as they ipes marked F1' pool of oil contained in the compartmentl directly lthereunder, the pipe J 2 eatending down into the pool of oil to a point near the bottom, thus forming a liquid seal so that no vapors conta-ined in the lower chamber can pass up through pipe J2 into the upper c amber. The remaining vapors pass up through pipes F2 and are forced by means of caps Gr1 down to near the bottom of the pool of oil contained in this chamber and there escape into said pool of oil` through the perforations at a point marked H in said caps or if these are not of sufficient eapacity, the excess vapors can pass clear down under the bottom of the caps and escape up through the oil from that point. I

As such vapors percolate up through this pool of oil, more or less ot' the heat in same is extracted and acquired by the pool of oil, thus causing more or less ot the vapors to condenseand be retained in such pool of oil and act to have a scrubbing etlect on remaining vapors. he surplus oil aecumulating in this chamber travels through pipe J3 into the pool contained in the chainberimmediately thereunder, such pipe extending to near the bottom of said latter pool, so as to prevent anyvapors passing therethrough from the latter chamber up into the former chamber. The remaining vapors in the last mentioned pool pass up through pipes F, and by means of caps G2 are forced down to near the bottoni of the pool of oil contained in this chamber and are there discharged into said pool of oil through the perforated places marked H or by passing completely under the bottom of caps (5l2 and as they percolate up through this pool ofioil, more or less heat is extracted therefrom and retained in the oil forming this pool, which causes more or less of such vapors to be condensed'and retained in this pool of oil and the surplus of such oil overflows through pipe J1 into the pool immediately thereunder, being discharged in said pool near the bottom so .as to prevent any vapors in said lower chamber passing through this pipe into. the upper chamber. There maybe as many pools of oil as are shown in the chamber Lt or as desired or found necessary to suflciently scrub the vapors passed therethrough and to reduce and condense any desired portions of the vapors to produce the desired boiling point, the remaining vapors passing from said chamber Lx through pressure, regulating valve L1, through goose-neck L2 as already described. These pools of oil may be contained in one chamber as shown in the drawing and marked LX or in more than one chamber. The excess oil in the bottoni pool ol each chamber being returned to the heating-pipes B in-the saine manner as shown in the drawing, and as this will be readily understood by those versed in the art, l have not deemed it necessary to show more than one chamber marked L".

ln case it is desired lo stimulate the flow ot' vapors from the vaporizing chamber into and through the chamber LX, a pump is provided marked E3 and connected to the vapor line E4 b v means of line E, having positioned on it valve E7 and on the discharge side of the pump it is connected to vapor `line E* by line lil", having positioned on it valve El and to use this pump for pumping, the valve E would be closed on line E4 and valves E? and E10 would be open, and pump put in operation, thereby causing the vapors to travel from line E* through line E, through pump E8, through E, back through line Eton the opposite side of the valve E`FI from which the vapors were originally drawn from line E4.

In different parts of this vaporizing chamber are shown pyroineters marked N and pressure gauges marked l). The chamber LX and pump ES are positioned on supports marked n". The portion of oil in the vaporizing chamber D remaining unvaporized is drawn otl' either continuously or interniittently through line D3 through valve D and with it is carried oli' more or less of the carbon formed in the cracking of the oil. V aporizing chamber D is duplicated as shown in vaporizing chamber vmarked D1. l'his is for the reason that when it becomes necessary to clean vapor chamber D, the rest of the apparatus can be kept in operation by diverting the liow of heated oil coming from the heating tubes B into the other vaporizing chamber D1 by the opening of valve C3 and the vapors passed therefrom by the opening of valve E3, and the unvaporized portion drawn ott through valve D5 through line D4 and the discharge of the heated oil into tank D being stopped by the closing of valves C2 andlEz. In due time, .the inanholes marked D-D on this latter tank can be opened and the tank cleaned; said tank will be ready to be put back in service by the time it becomes necessaryr to clean tank D1` this being done by the closing of valves C, and E3 and the opening of valves C2 and 'FA These vapor chambers are supported by supportsinarked X. Said vaporvlzing chambers and vapor line marked E and section of vapor line marked El are heavily insulated as indicated by D31. The purpose of such insulation 1s for preventing loss of heat from this section and to prevent in tank D1 being progressively subjectedk to increasing temperatures and also mixed with Such oils-as are condensed in these pools ofv oil-and such mixture returned for further heating. Thus, the raw oil being fed in is being preheated before passing to the heating coilsB and thus utilizing more or less of the heat given up by. the vapors that are passed through these ools of oil. It will be noted that this novel arrangement, vsuch portions of the oil, either of the raw oil ,fed in or that formed by condensing of portions of the vapors as they pass through the different pools of oil, that are changed \to the desired low boiling point products, pass through the water condenser,and are condensed and collected separately, thus 'avoiding lthe necessity of subjecting them to the heat of the furnace A.

The annexed single drawing is a duplicate of the drawing in my pending'application No. 305793, and the different'parts are marked exactly the same, excepting the heating coil-.in annexed drawing isa one piece rebent continuous -coil and hence the headers marked A in drawing of the previous application are not used in this application. y ,l Y i The improvements in'this 'application over the previousone consist inhaving a vpump marked AA and valve AAI, said pump being used for forcing the oil fronT-tlie bottom of the dephlegmator through the heating coils B at such speed as found Amost advantageous. The other improvement consists of placing coils marked BB in the dephle mator marked L". These coils are'l so ma -e as to pass a liquid through same -and in this manner either 'absorb heat from the oil they are submerged inor contribute heat. In the former case the heat thus absorbed can be utilized for heating other oil pressure distillate produced by this orthe` separation of the lightend l in which the charging stock is first preheated in the reflux condenser by the heat extracted from vapors passing therethrough,

ull of oil.

and this charging stock as wellpas the reflux :condensate being thenl forced through .the heating coil un er sure. l

It -will be noted that. by these vimprovementsl `'the velocity 'at which the oil is passed tubes is definitely con- A.

throu h the heating trolle which is an im rta-ntfactor andpof considerable value. Algo that the temperature of the-'different pools of oil the vapors pass up through vis delinitely controlled which is very important. and gives definite a' mechanical prescontrol over the separating of the 'products lthat are desired to be condensed and' collected separately from those that are con-"- densed in the different pools of oil and again subjected toa heat treatment. By this arrangement it will be seen that by..the`se definite controls the process can be operated with the least variations which is an important factor. a

The following illustrative run ofthe proc-v es s may be iven. I A

Gras oil gr'om a Kansas field of, say, 32

Baum gravity, is fed through the line into the-dephlegmator or heat interchanger,

where it comes into physical contact ,with 'l ascending vapors, and thence passes by the ovei'fiow 'pipes to the lower chambers into the line J2. It then goes into the closed coil B, thence to the vapor chamber D. The residue is drawn off therefromwhile the vapors pass through the line E4 into the lower end of the deplilegmator. A pressure of 135 lbs. may be maintained o'n the entire system by suitably regulating the outlet valves and 50 -per cent ofthe gas oil may be converted into pressure distillate. of 50 Baumel gravity, containing 65 per cent of 58 Baume 'gasolene The temperature of the various ools of oil in the dephlegmator can be reguated by vthe coils BB, which may be lled with either a heating or a cooling ',medium;

for example, the oil lin the vapor chambers D and D might be 800 F., the oil in the bottom pool 600 F.., in the next pool 550 F.,

in the next poolv 500 F., and in the top pool The quantity of oil supplied to the coil B from the line J*y -is :positivelyregulated by the speed and capacity ofthe pump-AA I claim as my invention:

1. Av process lfor treating hydrocarbon oil, consisting in passing a stream of oil in l a single passage through a continuous crackingcoil Where said oilreceives its cracking heat, in introducing the heated o il to an enlarged chamber Where substantial "vaporizay tion occurs, in removing-vapors'from said chamber and introducing said-vapors to av deplilcgmator, in aiding intlie condensation of the insuliiciently "cracked vapors passing through said dephlegmator by introducing to the dephlegmator charging stock which accumulateswith the reflux condensate in pools in the dephleginator, in discharging unvaporized residue from said enlarged chamber Without again admitting said residue to said cracking coil, in 't'orcing under an applied mechanical pressure intermingled reflux 'condensate and charging stock from the dcphlegniator to thc inlet side of said cracking coil for passage therethrough and maintaining the oil undergoing conversion under a super-atniospheric pressure.

2. A continuous process of oil conversion. consisting in maintaining a treated body of oil heated at a cracking temperature in an enlarged expansion chamber where vaporization of said oil occurs, in discharging said vapors to a dephlegmator 'for passage therethrough, in condensing the heavy insuliiciently cracked vapors in said dephlegmator by introducing charging stock thereto, in discharging uncondenscd vapors from the dephlegmator, and in' heating said charging stock and condensate lfrom the dephlegmator to a cracking tcmperature for introduction to said expansion chamber by continuously forcing the same under mechanical pressure to the inlet side of a continuous elongated heating means to Which heat is applied to pass therethrough and to be discharged after said passage into said expansion chamber, in discharging residue from said expansion chamber without admitting the same to said elongated heating means, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing treatment in said systei'n.

3. A continuous process of oil conversion comprising passing hydrocarbon oil in a stream through a. continuous elongated passageway Where said oil is subjected to a cracking temperature, in then passing the highly heated oil to an enlarged expansion chamber Where a substantial portion thereof vaporizes, in discharging vapors from said chamber to f," dephlegmator, in substantially continuously introducing charging .stock to the dephlegmator-to condense the insufficiently cracked vapors and to heat said charging stock, and in continuously forcing intermingled condensate, free of carbon containing` residual oil, and charging stock from said dephlegmator under mechanical pressure to the inlet side of said elongated passageway for passage therethrough for treatment, in separately discharging residue from the lexpansion chamber Without permitting said residue to enter said elongated cracking passageway, and in maintaining said system under a superatmospheric pressure.

4. A continuous process of conventing heavy into lighter hydrocarbons, consisting in passing a stream of oil through a heating coil where said-oil is subjected to a cracking temperature, in passing the heated products to an enlarged chamber where vaporization of a substantial portion of the oil occurs, in discharging the vapors toa reflux condenser, in introducing charging stock-to, said condenser to commin'gle with the vapors and assist in condensing the insufficiently cracked vapors, in forcing intermingled condensate and charging stock passing from said refiux condenser by a mechanical pressure to the inlet of said heating coil, in discharging heated liquid 'residue from .said ei'ilarged chamber Without admitting the saine to the heating coil, and in maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure on the oil undertreatment.

5. A continuous process of converting heavy into lighter hydrocarbons, consisting in passing a stream of oil through a heating coil where said oil is heated to a cracking temperature, in discharging the heated hydrocarbon material from said coil to an enlargcd chamber Where vapor-ization of a substantial portion of the oil occurs, in discharging vapors from said enlarged chamber to a reflux condenser, in introducing charging stock to said reflux condenser to preheat said stock and to assist in condensing the insuiciently cracked vapors, in forcing said coiuilensate and preheated charging stock under a mechanical pressure to the inletof the vheating coil, in discharging liquid resid-uc from said enlarged chamber without admitting the same to the heating coil, and in niaintainingthe oil undergoing treat-ment under a super-atmospheric pressure.

6. A continuous process of converting heavy into lighter hydrocarbons consisting in passing a stream of oil through a heating coil Where said oil is heated to a. cracking ten'iperature, in passing the heated oil to an enlarged chamber where conversion occurs and from which chamber liquid oil is not permitted to return to the cracking coil, in discharging generated vapors to a reflux condenser. in introduction charging stock to said reiux condenser to assist in condensing the insutiiciently cracked vapors, in collecting the condensate and heated charging stock in a body, in discharging the condensate and heated charging stock from said body and in forcing` the same under a mechanit al pressure tothe inlet side of said cracking coil, and in maintaining the oil undergoing conversion under a super-atmospheric pressure.

7. A continuous process of convertingy heavy into lighter hydrocarbons, consisting in passing a Stream of hydrocarbon oil through a coil in a heating zone Where said oil receives its cracking heat-` in transferring the heated products to an enlarged chamber where conversion'of the oil occurs, and trom which chamber no liquid o il is permitted ton return to the cracking coil, in passing generated vapors to a reux condenser, in introducing charging 'stock to said redux condenser to condensetheheavy insufficiently cracked va ors 'in forcing 'reux condensate, free o Vcar on containing residual oil, with the'pi'eheated charging stock Vfrom said refiuxl condenser under* mechanical pressure, to the inlet of said"v heating coil for assage therethrough, vand in maintaining t e oil undergoing conversion yin said coil and vin the enlarged zone under superatmospheric pressure.

8. A process of o il conversion, consisting in continuously advancingl a-stream of hydrocarbon oil through a' continuous elonsaid oil to a reflux condenser, 1n substantially continuously admitting charging stock to said reiiux condenser to preheat said stock in continuously advancing a stream o and to condense the insufiiciently cracked vapors,

in forcing, reiiux condensate and charging stock discharging from said reflux condenser under a mechanical pressure continuously to the inlet of the cracking coil for passage therethrough, -in discharging uncondensed vapors from the reflux condenser for final vcondensation and collection, and in maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing conversion, in the coil and enlarged chamber.

, 9. A process of oil conversion, consifstng drocarbon oil through a continuous eloggated coil disposed in a heating zone, where said oil receives its. cracking heat, in delivering the heated oil to an enlarged zone where conversion of the-oil occurs, in introducing vapors generated fromv said oil to a refiux condenser, in substantially continuously admitting charging stock. to said reflux condenser to preheat said stock and to condense the insufficiently cracked vapors, in forcing reflux condensate and charging lstock discharging from said reiiux condenser, under ameclianical pressure continuously to the inlet of the cracking coil for passage therethrough, in discharging uncondensed vapors for final condensation and collection, in'

withdrawing carbon-containing residue from said enlarged zone wthout again admitting the same to the cracking coil', and 'in maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing conversion in the coil and in the enlarged zone.

.10. A continuous process for converting heavy into lighter hydrocarbons, consisting in passing hydrocarbon oil through a heating coil where said oil is heated to a cracking temperature, in transferring theoil to an enlarged receiver where conversion occurs, and

from the reflux' condenser frpm which'A receiver'no liquid oil is permitted toreturn to the heating coil, in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil passing through said coil, in passing enerated vapors to a reflux, condenser, in introducingcliarging' stock to lsaid reflux condenser to condense v'the hea insuiciently cracked va ors, and in forcm reflux condensate, free o residual oil, with t e prey heated charging stock from said reflux condenser underl a mechanical pressure to the. inlet of said heating coil for lpassage there-` through. v

11. continuous processfor converting heavyA into lighter hydrocarbons,l consisting 'in passing a stream of oil through aheating coil wheresaid oil receives its crackingheat, in delivering the highly heated oil to 'an enlarged insulated expansion chamber where vaporization occurs, in discharging generated vapors to a reflux condenser, inl iiitroducing charging stock to said reiiux condenser to accumulate in pools therein with which said vapors intermingle to. `condense the insuiciently cracked vapors, in1 discharging condensate and heated charging stock from said reflux 'condenser and forcing the same under a'mechanical pressure to the inlet side of the cracking'coil, in withdrawing unvaporized residue from said enlarged expansion chamber without again admitting said residue to the; cracking coil, and in maintaining the oil undergoing treatment under a superatmospheric pressure.

' 12. A continuous processv for converting heavy into lighter hydrocarbons, consisting in passing a stream of oil through a heating coil where said oil i'sheated to a cracking vaporization occurs, in discharging generated vapors toa reflux condenser, 1n introducing charging stock to said reflux condenser to accumulate wtih reflux condensate in pools therein and through which pools the vapors must pass to condense the insuicientlycracked vapors, in discharging the condensate and heated charging stock from said reflux condenser, and in forcing. the same under a mechanical pressure to the inlet side of said heating coil, in continuously withdrawing unvaporized residue from said expansion chamber without again ad-y mitting the same to the cracking coil, and in maintaining the 4oil undergoing treatment under a superatmospheric pressure.

13. A-continuou s process of converting heavy into lighter` hydrocarbons, consisting in passing a stream of hydrocarbon oil' through a coil where said a cracking temperature, inpassing the heat'ed oil to an enlarged insulated expanoil is heated to i sion chamber where ,vaporization occurs,

condenser, inAY introducing charging stock to' .said reflux condenser m a single stream to pass therethrough and c ommingle with the vapors to condense the nsufiiciently cracked vapors, in forcing condensate and preheated charging stock under a mechanical pressure from the reflux condenser to the inlet side of 'the cracking. coil, in continuously discharging unvaporized oil 'om said enlarged in# sulated chamber Without again admitting the same tothe cracking coil, and in maintaininfr a superatmosplieric pressure on the oil undergoing treatment.

CARBON P. DUBBS. 

